The NDA suffered an embarrassing setback on Saturday as the Election Commission rejected the nomination papers of a key candidate on “technical grounds”. The Chirag Paswan-led Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) had fielded Bhojpuri actor-turned-politician Seema Singh as its candidate from Marhoura — one of 29 seats allocated to the party under a seat-sharing arrangement. The constituency is now likely to witness a direct contest between sitting RJD MLA Jitendra Kumar Rai and Jan Suraaj Party candidate Abhay Singh.
“We have submitted a representation before the Election Commission. The situation has arisen because of a small lapse. Hopefully, it will be resolved,” PTI quoted Paswan as saying.
The poll body also rejected the papers of former JD(U) leader Altaf Alam Raju, who had entered the fray as an Independent candidate from Marhoura. The seat goes to polls in the first phase on November 6 and, as of now, is left with nine candidates in the fray, since nomination papers of four have been rejected. The last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is October 20.